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China Joins Albania, Austria, Belgium, and Many More To Enhance fligggy’s Expedition in Sustaintanable Travel Initiative ? Urgent update
Published on
March 9, 2026
Image generated with Ai
Fliggy, the renowned Chinese online travel platform owned by Alibaba, has made waves in the tourism industry by officially partnering with the European Travel Commission (ETC) for a pioneering global initiative. The campaign, “Unlock an Unexpected Upgrade,” is aimed at encouraging more responsible travel to Europe, specifically targeting Chinese tourists. This strategic partnership, which was solidified during the ITB Berlin 2026 event, marks a key moment for both organizations in their shared mission to revolutionize European tourism.
Fliggy Leads the Charge for Responsible Tourism
As the first Chinese partner to join the “Unlock an Unexpected Upgrade” campaign, Fliggy is stepping into a critical role. The campaign is co-funded by the European Union and supported by a coalition of European destinations and travel brands. Its main goal is to reposition responsible travel as a desirable “upgrade” rather than a sacrifice. The partnership will encourage Chinese travelers to explore Europe in a way that reduces their carbon footprint and supports local businesses, creating a more meaningful and sustainable travel experience.
The core messages of the campaign urge travelers to consider traveling during off-peak seasons, avoid overcrowded tourist hotspots, use low-carbon transportation methods, and actively contribute to the local economy by supporting smaller, local businesses. This approach not only promotes environmental responsibility but also enhances the overall travel experience for tourists.
Fliggy’s Role: Promoting Sustainable European Destinations
Fliggy is taking a hands-on approach to this campaign by utilizing its vast digital platform to promote ETC’s campaign assets. The platform will feature dedicated pages, banners, and curated content for the “Unlock an Unexpected Upgrade” initiative. These assets will be tailored to Fliggy’s massive Chinese audience, ensuring that the campaign’s key messages are effectively conveyed to potential travelers.
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In addition to general promotional materials, Fliggy will recommend popular tourist destinations and co-develop niche itineraries that focus on lesser-known European gems. These curated routes will emphasize local festivals, hidden gems, and off-the-beaten-path destinations, ensuring that travelers can explore Europe’s rich cultural and natural heritage without contributing to the pressures of overtourism.
Fliggy’s Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Alex Chen, has highlighted the role of Fliggy’s technology and data in uncovering these hidden treasures. By using data-driven insights, Fliggy will help travelers discover destinations that are not only unique but also sustainable, providing a deeper and more enriching travel experience.
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A Boost for European Destinations
This collaboration will have a significant impact on Europe’s tourism sector. The partnership offers ETC direct access to Fliggy’s large and diverse user base, which is crucial at a time when China remains one of the world’s largest and most lucrative outbound tourism markets. With Chinese travelers flocking to European destinations in ever-increasing numbers, this partnership provides a unique opportunity to steer these tourists toward more responsible and sustainable travel practices.
By focusing on low-carbon transport, such as rail travel, and promoting less-visited regions of Europe, the campaign aims to reduce the environmental impact of tourism while redistributing tourist flows across the continent. The initiative encourages Chinese tourists to venture beyond the major cities and explore secondary cities, rural areas, and natural landscapes that may otherwise be overlooked in favor of more crowded destinations like Paris and Rome.
This approach aligns perfectly with the growing global demand for sustainable tourism, a trend that is becoming more prominent among conscious travelers who seek meaningful experiences that do not come at the expense of the planet.
Fliggy’s Special Promotions to Support Key Travel Moments
Fliggy’s involvement goes beyond mere promotion. The platform will also coordinate special campaigns and promotions around key travel moments, such as flower season, Christmas, and winter travel focused on snow-and-ice activities. These promotions will coincide with events like the Global Travel Festival and mid-year sales, allowing Fliggy to engage with Chinese travelers at optimal moments.
Through these special offers, Fliggy will encourage its users to travel during less crowded times, further contributing to the campaign’s objective of spreading tourism throughout the year rather than concentrating it in peak seasons. This also aligns with the European Travel Commission’s goal of reducing the pressures of overtourism on heavily trafficked destinations.
The Long-Term Impact on Europe-China Tourism
This partnership represents a shift in how Europe will be marketed in China. Eduardo Santander, CEO of the European Travel Commission, has framed the initiative as part of a collective effort to make travel “more meaningful and rewarding for everyone.” With this campaign, Europe is not only appealing to Chinese tourists but also creating a long-term model of tourism that benefits both the environment and local communities.
As European destinations seek to balance the benefits of tourism with the need for sustainability, the collaboration with Fliggy provides the infrastructure to make responsible travel practices more attractive and attainable. The campaign is not just about reducing the negative impacts of mass tourism; it’s about turning these responsible choices—such as traveling off-peak, choosing rail travel, and exploring secondary cities—into aspirational “upgrades” that offer more authentic and enriching experiences for travelers.
The partnership signals a crucial step in reshaping European tourism by addressing overtourism and its impacts while providing new opportunities for growth. For Chinese tourists, the “Unlock an Unexpected Upgrade” campaign offers the chance to experience Europe in a fresh, sustainable way—one that goes beyond the usual tourist hotspots and fosters a deeper connection with the destinations they visit.
Fliggy’s collaboration with the European Travel Commission marks a pivotal moment in reshaping how Europe is marketed to Chinese tourists. By promoting responsible, low-impact travel through tailored content and special promotions, this partnership opens the door to a new era of European tourism. The campaign not only aims to preserve Europe’s cultural and natural treasures but also to provide Chinese tourists with the opportunity to discover Europe in a way that is both meaningful and sustainable.
As the partnership continues to grow, it will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on how tourists from China—and around the world—experience Europe, encouraging them to embrace responsible travel choices that benefit the environment, the local economy, and future generations of travelers.
This initiative is a prime example of how collaboration between global tourism players can help drive forward the future of sustainable travel while making it both accessible and aspirational for today’s conscious
Country groupRole in ETC–Fliggy campaignExample “unexpected upgrade” angleWestern Europe (France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, UK, Ireland)Core ETC members and major gateways where Fliggy will push off‑peak city breaks and dispersal beyond capitals.Rail‑linked secondary cities, wine and food regions, local festivals instead of only Paris–London–Amsterdam.Southern Europe (Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Malta, Cyprus)High‑demand sun destinations targeted for season‑stretching and shifting beyond overcrowded hotspots.Shoulder‑season coastal trips, rural and inland routes, smaller islands and heritage towns.Nordics & Alps (Austria, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland)Flagship low‑carbon, nature‑focused products promoted heavily to Chinese users via Fliggy.Scenic rail and fjords, snow‑and‑ice travel, alpine villages and national parks outside peak dates.Central & Eastern Europe (Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria)Rail‑connected culture‑and‑nature arc presented as good‑value alternatives to Western capitals.Multi‑country overland loops, thermal towns, wine regions and historic small cities.Balkans & neighbours (Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania, Turkey)Emerging “hidden gem” belt where the campaign encourages slower, less crowded Adriatic and inland trips.Quieter coastal towns, bays and mountains, local markets and national parks instead of only headline resorts.
Here is an expanded, big‑feature version with richer detail for each country, keeping your subhead structure and anchoring everything in the ETC–Fliggy “Unlock an Unexpected Upgrade” campaign narrative.
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Albania
While not one of the primary ETC NTO members, Albania sits on the edge of several “unexpected upgrade” itineraries that encourage Chinese visitors to look beyond classic Balkan hotspots toward emerging Adriatic and inland destinations.
As rail and coach‑based routes through the Western Balkans gain visibility in the campaign ecosystem, Albania can be profiled on Fliggy as a lower‑density, good‑value stop that softens pressure on more saturated coastal neighbours.
Austria
Austria is a core ETC member and a natural anchor for rail‑first, low‑carbon itineraries that the campaign and Fliggy promote, from alpine resorts such as Kitzbühel to smaller cultural hubs beyond Vienna.
For Chinese travellers, Austria can be positioned as a four‑season destination: flower‑season alpine villages, Christmas markets, and quieter shoulder‑season city breaks are all themes the partners plan to highlight during Global Travel Festival and mid‑year sales pushes.
Belgium
Within the ETC coalition, Belgium fits the “short‑break Europe” narrative, with Fliggy able to curate itineraries that combine Brussels’ EU capital status with more intimate experiences in Ghent, Bruges or smaller art cities.
The campaign invites Chinese visitors to treat Belgium as a base for off‑peak, rail‑linked exploration across Benelux rather than just a quick tick‑box stop, emphasising local food, festivals and canal‑side stays.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria brings a mix of Black Sea coast and mountain landscapes to the partnership, allowing ETC and Fliggy to push value‑for‑money alternatives to over‑crowded Mediterranean beaches.
Off‑season spa towns, ski areas and historic cities such as Plovdiv can be woven into overland itineraries that highlight small shifts—travelling in spring or autumn, or choosing regional rail—that upgrade the visitor experience while easing overtourism pressure.
Croatia
Croatia neatly illustrates the campaign’s “beyond the postcard” ambition: rather than Dubrovnik at peak summer, ETC and Fliggy promote quieter shoulder months and lesser‑known coastal towns or inland national parks.
By combining Adriatic routes with rail links further north, Chinese travellers are nudged toward slower, more balanced journeys that still feel aspirational but avoid the worst crowding.
Cyprus
Cyprus features in broader Visit Europe storytelling as a year‑round Mediterranean escape where off‑season stays still bring sunshine, coastal walks and local festivals.
In the Fliggy context, it can be marketed as a “second‑trip Europe” choice for Chinese repeat visitors seeking smaller towns, coastal trails and village life rather than big‑city checklists.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a textbook case for shifting from single‑city tourism to multi‑node exploration, with Fliggy able to showcase rail‑connected heritage towns and nature areas beyond Prague.
The campaign positions these side‑trips as upgrades—more space, authentic food, and local encounters—rather than compromises, which is crucial for Chinese travellers used to dense, highlight‑driven itineraries.
Denmark
Denmark’s strong sustainability reputation aligns closely with the campaign’s core message that “going green” can actually make a European holiday more rewarding.
On Fliggy, this translates into promoting Copenhagen plus islands and smaller coastal towns accessible by rail and ferry, packaged as design, cycling and culinary experiences in quieter seasons.
Estonia
Estonia offers forest, coastline and Hanseatic heritage that fit the “hidden gem” narrative driving much of ETC’s content.
Fliggy can help connect Estonia into northern Europe circuit products—combining Tallinn with Finnish, Swedish or Latvian stops—framed as crowd‑free, slow‑travel experiences ideal for curious Chinese FITs.
Finland
For Finland, the collaboration leans heavily into snow‑and‑ice travel, northern lights chasing and winter festivals, which are all slated as key themes for joint promotions around Christmas and snow season.
The “unexpected upgrade” angle is that visiting Lapland in shoulder periods or exploring lesser‑known winter towns yields quieter, more immersive experiences than the most famous resorts at peak time.
France
France is being actively reframed by ETC as more than Paris, and the campaign’s rail‑based itineraries highlight wine regions, smaller cities and rural escapes.
On Fliggy, dynamic packaging and recommendation tools can surface these options for Chinese users, presenting a shift from high‑season Paris queues to vineyard stays, local festivals and coastal routes as a genuine “upgrade.”
Germany
Germany is one of the flagship countries in the launch materials, appearing in sample low‑carbon routes through places like Freiburg, smaller Rhine towns and lesser‑known cultural hubs.
For Chinese travellers, the ETC–Fliggy partnership can reposition Germany as a base for scenic train journeys and community events—Carnival, markets, regional food fairs—rather than just a stop for big‑city shopping.
Greece
In Greece, the campaign’s priority is to stretch demand beyond peak‑summer islands and into shoulder‑season trips and mainland regions.
Fliggy can support this by packaging spring flower‑season routes, autumn food and harvest itineraries, and lesser‑known islands as aspirational yet less crowded alternatives to the classic July–August hotspots.
Hungary
Hungary’s role goes beyond Budapest’s iconic riverside skyline; the partnership narrative highlights thermal towns, wine regions and slower rural landscapes.
For Chinese travellers, Fliggy can introduce these as easy extensions to a Central‑European rail loop, emphasising wellness, gastronomy and village hospitality as part of the “upgrade.”
Iceland
Iceland epitomises nature‑driven, low‑density travel, making it one of the campaign’s strongest examples of responsibility equalling reward.
Under the partnership, Chinese visitors can be encouraged to plan longer stays, travel outside the absolute high season and join smaller, locally run excursions—choices framed as unlocking quieter waterfalls, more time with guides and better chances of seeing the aurora.
Ireland
Ireland is woven into Visit Europe storytelling as a place for slow road‑trips, wild coasts and literary cities.
Fliggy can position off‑season Dublin, Galway or the Wild Atlantic Way as intimate alternatives to peak‑summer tours, highlighting pub music, local storytelling and community festivals as core experiences.
Italy
Italy features prominently in “unexpected upgrade” itineraries that spotlight lesser‑known towns such as Bressanone as well as secondary cities and rural areas accessible by rail.
For Chinese travellers, the ETC–Fliggy collaboration is an opportunity to discover art towns, food regions and alpine valleys beyond the Venice–Florence–Rome triangle, particularly in spring and autumn.
Latvia
Latvia complements the Baltic storyline with a mix of forests, coast and compact cities that suit short, low‑impact detours.
On Fliggy, it can be promoted as part of multi‑country loops that reward travellers with quieter markets, wooden architecture and local food traditions far from the main tourist corridors.
Lithuania
Lithuania’s heritage towns and forest landscapes fit ETC’s call to “love local,” tying gastronomy and small‑town life into a responsible‑travel narrative.
For Chinese users, curated routes can reframe Lithuania as a peaceful chapter in a broader northern Europe journey rather than a standalone destination that is hard to situate in an itinerary.
Luxembourg
Luxembourg’s dense network of rail and hiking routes makes it ideal for the campaign’s low‑carbon, cross‑border itineraries.
Fliggy can showcase Luxembourg as a strategic but scenic link between France, Belgium and Germany, with castle‑hopping and wine valleys marketed as unexpected highlights of a multi‑country trip.
Malta
Malta is positioned as a Mediterranean micro‑destination where history, coastal scenery and compact size enable slow exploration without long transfers.
The ETC–Fliggy partnership can push Chinese visitors toward shoulder‑season escapes, emphasising clear skies, walkable towns and local events rather than peak‑summer crowds.
Montenegro
Montenegro, in the Western Balkans, is framed as an emerging star that offers dramatic bays and mountains without the intensity of Europe’s busiest coastal strips.
Joint communication can present it as a quieter extension to popular itineraries through Croatia or Serbia, adding small‑boat trips, national parks and heritage towns to the mix.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is being repositioned from an Amsterdam‑only destination to a network of smaller towns, water landscapes and cycling routes.
On Fliggy, that means more visibility for rail‑linked day trips and overnights in places like Utrecht or Groningen, plus content that highlights tulip and flower seasons as ideal off‑peak travel windows.
North Macedonia
North Macedonia offers lakes, mountains and historic towns that fit the “discover something new in Europe” pitch to adventurous Chinese travellers.
The campaign encourages including it in overland Balkan routes, where local markets, monasteries and hiking experiences become core reasons to slow down.
Norway
Norway’s fjords, northern lights and coastal routes are tailormade for nature‑first, low‑impact travel, a central pillar of the campaign.
Fliggy can promote seasonal itineraries—spring fjord cruising, autumn hiking, winter aurora hunts—that highlight travelling outside peak summer for better value and richer contact with local communities.
Poland
Poland brings historic cities, UNESCO sites and forests into the coalition’s product mix, easily linked by rail.
For the Chinese market, ETC and Fliggy can promote routes that combine Warsaw, Kraków and lesser‑known towns with national parks, presenting them as affordable, authentic alternatives to more crowded Western capitals.
Portugal
Portugal’s role is to show that even hugely popular destinations can shift patterns by pushing interior regions and off‑season coastal stays.
Fliggy can surface Douro Valley wine trips, Alentejo villages or winter city breaks in Porto and Lisbon as “upgrades” that offer gentler weather, fewer crowds and more meaningful local contact.
Romania
Romania’s Carpathian landscapes, castles and villages resonate with travellers seeking story‑rich, nature‑connected journeys.
Under the campaign, Chinese visitors can be encouraged to weave Romania into rail and coach‑based loops through Central and Eastern Europe, with homestays and small‑group tours framed as key upgrades.
Serbia
Serbia adds a non‑EU, culturally distinctive thread to the Western Balkans offer, combining Belgrade’s urban energy with monasteries, rivers and mountain regions.
Fliggy can help niche operators and DMCs bring these lesser‑known routes to Chinese FIT and small‑group audiences looking beyond the standard Schengen circuit.
Image generated with Ai
Slovakia
Slovakia offers easy rail links, Tatra mountain scenery and compact historic centres that align with the low‑carbon, slow‑travel ethos.
The ETC–Fliggy collaboration can highlight Slovakia as a natural extension between Vienna, Prague, Budapest and Poland, encouraging at least one or two nights beyond quick photo stops.
Slovenia
Slovenia is one of the campaign’s poster children: a small, green country with strong sustainability credentials and easy links to Italy, Austria and Croatia.
For Chinese travellers, it can be marketed as the place where “going offbeat” still guarantees wow‑factor lakes, caves and vineyards, but with fewer crowds and stronger local connections.
Spain
In Spain, the focus is on shifting some demand from Barcelona–Madrid corridors to lesser‑known cities and regions, plus off‑season festivals and gastronomy events.
Fliggy’s role is to bundle these into themed products—food trails, cultural calendars, rail passes—that make it easy for Chinese travellers to choose these upgrades over peak‑time, single‑city trips.
Sweden
Sweden contributes both vibrant cities and vast nature to the Nordic component of the campaign, well suited to rail‑plus‑ferry and self‑guided itineraries.
For Chinese visitors, the partnership can frame quiet archipelago stays, forest cabins and lesser‑known towns as high‑value experiences in calmer seasons, not just alternative options.
Switzerland
Switzerland is explicitly featured in “unexpected upgrade” rail itineraries, particularly for alpine and lake regions accessible by scenic trains.
Fliggy can position Swiss rail passes, off‑peak ski trips and smaller resort towns as premium yet sustainable ways for Chinese travellers to experience Europe’s mountains.
Turkey
Turkey sits at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, bringing Istanbul, Cappadocia and coastal regions into broader Visit Europe storytelling.
Within the ETC–Fliggy framework, it can be marketed as part of cross‑continental journeys that mix iconic sites with lesser‑known Anatolian towns, encouraging longer stays and more even visitor flows.
United Kingdom
The UK, though outside the EU, remains a key component of long‑haul perceptions of “Europe,” with London plus regional cities and countryside forming classic itineraries.
The partnership enables UK destinations to be integrated into campaign messaging about off‑season city culture, rural escapes and rail‑based discovery, targeted at Chinese travellers planning multi‑stop European trips.
Fliggy’s tie‑up with the European Travel Commission marks a pivotal moment in how Europe is marketed to Chinese travellers, signalling a shift from pure volume and “must‑see” hotspots to a more curated mix of off‑peak, low‑carbon and locally rooted experiences that are framed as an upgrade rather than a compromise.
By plugging ETC’s continent‑wide sustainability agenda into Fliggy’s powerful Chinese‑language platform, data ecosystem and promotional engines such as the Global Travel Festival and mid‑year sales, both sides are betting that responsible choices can be made aspirational: travelling in shoulder seasons instead of peak weeks, swapping a single over‑crowded capital for multi‑stop rail journeys, and choosing lesser‑known coastal towns, mountain villages and historic small cities over the most saturated icons.
For European destinations, the partnership offers a rare opportunity to rebalance China demand geographically and seasonally, reducing pressure on fragile hotspots while channelling higher‑value visitors into regions that have the capacity and desire to grow; for Chinese travellers, it promises richer, more immersive trips that trade queues and congestion for local festivals, community‑run experiences and genuine encounters with nature and culture.
If the “Unlock an Unexpected Upgrade” narrative lands with China’s fast‑evolving outbound market, this collaboration could become a blueprint for how global tourism marketing blends big‑tech distribution with concrete sustainability goals—reimagining the China–Europe travel corridor as a test bed for growth that is greener, smarter and more meaningful on both sides of the journey.
